San Francisco, CA – At the close of its 83rd Annual Meeting today, the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), for the 10th consecutive year, adopted a strong resolution in support of Mayors for Peace, noting that August 6 and 9, 2015 will mark the 70th anniversaries of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Recalling that at the conclusion of the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, the U.S. and the other nuclear-weapon states reaffirmed their “unequivocal undertaking … to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals” pursuant to Article VI of the Treaty, and agreed to “convene a conference in 2012 … on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction,” the USCM “reaffirms its call on the U.S. government to support commencement of a process to negotiate the global prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons.”

In its resolution, titled “Calling for Effective Implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Disarmament Obligation and Redirection of Nuclear Weapons Spending to Meet the Needs of Cities,” the USCM also “expresses its support for the successful conclusion of negotiations with Iran on a comprehensive nuclear deal and urges the U.S. government to support the convening of a conference on establishing a Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction at the earliest possible date.”

Citing the fact that over the next decade the U.S. plans to spend $348 billion to maintain and modernize its nuclear forces, the USCM declares that “the needs of America’s cities can only be met by adopting new priorities to create a just and sustainable economy, infrastructure and environment,” and “calls on the President and Congress to reduce nuclear weapons spending to the minimum necessary to assure the safety and security of the existing weapons as they await disablement and dismantlement, and to redirect those funds to address the pressing needs of cities.”

In conclusion, the USCM “reaffirms its support for Mayors for Peace and its “2020 Vision” and joins Mayors for Peace in urging the policymakers of the world, especially from nuclear-armed states, to visit the atomic bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as soon as possible to see the reality of the atomic bombings for themselves and listen to the survivors’ appeal for peace and disarmament.”

Mayors for Peace, an international organization, founded in 1982 and led by the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, aims through its 2020 Vision Campaign to achieve the global elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020. Mayors for Peace membership has grown by more than ten fold since 2003, as of June 1, 2015 counting 6,706 cities in 160 countries and regions including 204 U.S. members, representing some one billion people, one-seventh of the world’s population.

The USCM is the nonpartisan association of American cities with populations over 30,000. As explained by its outgoing President, Mayor Kevin Johnson of Sacramento, who chaired the final plenary, resolutions adopted “will become the official policy of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.”

In 2004, the USCM adopted a resolution declaring that “weapons of mass destruction have no place in a civilized world,” and called on the U.S. President to support a decision of the 2005 NPT Review Conference to “commence negotiations on the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons,” and since 2006 has adopted annual resolutions in support of Mayors for Peace, its Cities Are Not Targets project and its 2020 Vision Campaign, and calling for U.S. leadership in global elimination of nuclear weapons and redirection of nuclear weapons spending to meet the urgent needs of cities.

The 2015 resolution comes at a time of heightened nuclear tensions between the U.S. and Russia, and as the deadline for a nuclear agreement with Iran approaches. On May 22, the month-long five year
NPT Review Conference ended without agreement on a final outcome document due to objections by the United States, backed by the United Kingdom and Canada, to rescheduling the Middle East
Conference. The agreement would have provided that even if states in the region could not agree on an agenda, the conference would be convened by Mary 1, 2016, with or without Israel’s consent or
participation. Israel, the only nuclear-armed state in the region, is not a member of the NPT.

Join or Co-Sponsor a united campaign to achieve a meaningful global climate stabilization agreement by the end of 2015.

Such an agreement is possible, but it is up to citizens to make sure that their governments take appropriate actions needed to make it happen.

The Campaign is being sponsored by an alliance of environment and citizen participation organizations including: The Global Citizens Initiative (TGCI), EarthAction, the Earth Council Alliance, the International Peace Bureau, Kenya Environment and Waste Management Association, the India Youth Climate Network, TREE, International Center for Climate and Development (Bangladesh), the Catholic Environmental Movement, and many others.

Previously, in the opening weeks of the NPT Conference, we presented to one of the main plenaries, tweeted photos and videos of Global Wave actions from countries as the foreign ministers or other representatives of those countries spoke, met informally with government representatives to advocate for nuclear abolition, and presented to a number of side events.

The majority of governments at the conference support our call, and are promoting the abolition of nuclear weapons in the deliberations and in the disarmament section of the draft outcome document.

The draft disarmament section calls on nuclear weapon States to take immediate steps to reduce nuclear stockpiles (page 7, para 5), end modernisation of nuclear weapons (page 7, para 6), reduce the role of nuclear weapons (para 7), and remove of all nuclear weapons from high alert levels (para 9). The draft also calls on States to engage in an inclusive process within the United Nations to explore and develop the legal framework to achieve and maintain a nuclear weapon free world.

UNFOLD ZERO, a partner campaign to Peace and Planet, held a side-event on Thursday, outlining the ways in which the abolition of nuclear weapons can be, and is being, facilitated and supported through various UN bodies and initiatives.

There is still one week to go in the NPT Review Conference. The nuclear weapon States are already opposing some of the draft text. And even if the text is adopted, it does not mean that the nuclear weapon States will implement it quickly. They have, for example, done very little to implement the more modest agreements from the 2010 NPT Review Conference – leading the Marshall Islands to launch cases in the International Court of Justice against the nuclear armed States challenging the lack of implementation of disarmament obligations.

However, civil society actions including Global Wave and Peace and Planet have definitely had a positive impact at this important international conference, challenging the nuclear weapons states and giving support to the non-nuclear States.

May 17, 2015

First Peoples Worldwide (First Peoples) is pleased to announce its new Self-Governance and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) initiative, a funding opportunity to create or strengthen existing dialogue between Indigenous communities and corporations with respect to Indigenous rights and resources. The colonial period left Indigenous communities deeply scarred; their land, culture, and rights were systematically stripped away by colonists looking to profit from the rich assets utilized by Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples have struggled in the modern world to have their rights and traditional cultures acknowledged by their respective governments, countries, and the world at large. Now, Indigenous Peoples are speaking up to stop this blatant disregard for their rights, and they are being heard. In 2007, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the Declaration), which has since been ratified by 143 countries and sets a global standard for the treatment of Indigenous Peoples. This vital, though not legally binding, declaration is helping to secure Indigenous rights worldwide, and FPIC, which is part of the Declaration, acts as an informal guideline to bringing Indigenous communities closer to securing self-governance. The primary purpose of the Self-Governance and FPIC initiative is to empower Indigenous communities to use their traditional knowledge and governance structures, decision-making processes, and alliances with other communities, to develop strategic approaches to working with corporations encroaching on their lands and ways of life. To further promote FPIC policy development, this initiative will strengthen Indigenous community organizing, capacity in policy formulation, and communication efforts with governing or corporate authorities. Through its Keepers of the Earth small grants program and fund, First Peoples promotes Indigenous self-governance and capacity to exercise FPIC. Grant applications will be accepted on a monthly basis through October 31st, annually.

April 28, 2015

Covering 72 percent of the Earth and supplying half its oxygen, the ocean is our planet's life support system—and it’s in danger. Watch this video to learn why a healthier ocean means a healthier planet, and find out how you can help.

March 22, 2015

January 27, 2015

From April 27 – May 22, 2015 representatives of the 189 members of the NPT, including the original nuclear-armed States (the U.S., Russia, the U.K, France, and China) will come together at the United Nations in New York City to review the Treaty’s operation. It is long past time for the world’s governments to implement the global obligation to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.

In a demonstration of their determination to build a fair, democratic, ecologically sustainable, and peaceful future, people will gather in New York City and around the world for international days of action April 24 – 26, 2015.

EarthAction is a Partner in this global Mobilization. To build awareness of nuclear weapons and the interrelated issues of militarism, climate change, and social and economic injustice, we have played an active role in developing the 'Fact Countdown'' part of this campaign. Each day, PeaceAndPlanet.org will release one fact about nuclear weapons and related issues. We invite you to check out PeaceAndPlanet.org, sign up to receive each Fact and then share it through social media with your members, friends, media and policymakers.

While at PeaceAndPlanet.org, you can also sign a petition and learn more ways to be part of this mobilization.

January 18, 2015

Lois Barber, the executive director of EarthAction, has been featured in the “The What Now Interviews,” a podcast by Ken Rose. Featuring scholars, writers, artists, and teachers with expertise ranging from climate change to ethical global markets, this podcast seeks to inform listeners about issues pertaining to the “global life crisis.”

According to Ken, the focus of each show is to “serve [and facilitate discussion about] the work of the guests.” Each podcast episode features a different scholar, thinker, writer, or artist and provides a space for them to share their knowledge and work. “…[I want to] flood the world with the cream of human intelligence and we can do that,” says Ken.

The emphasis of the show is to help listeners broaden their understanding of global issues impacting their lives and the lives of others in order to effect meaningful change for the future. “…I think it’s a good idea if we all start to turn our attention to the [people] in this world who are actually doing the hard work of studying our problems…and trying to see what we can do or how we can change that would be win-win-win all over the place.” To hear previous podcast episodes and learn more about Ken’s work, visit whatnowsolutions.org.

December 09, 2014

Lois Barber, EarthAction’s Executive Director, is a member of the Coordinating Committee for the following important event set for April 2015. You are invited to join this global movement to make us all safer and more secure from the threat posed from the world's 16,000 nuclear weapons. Now’s the time for action.

Vienna and New York City -- On the occasion of the third International Conference on the Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Weapons being held in Vienna, a broad international network of NGOs has announced plans for a major mobilization in the run-up to the critically important Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference. The NPT Review Conference will be held at UN headquarters in New York City in April and May 2015. The Vienna conference, with more than 150 governments and 200 representatives of civil society participating, is designed to build momentum for a successful Review Conference.

Quoting the Call to Action, which was released today (see attached), Dr. Joseph Gerson of the American Friends Service Committee and a co-convener of the network said, “A nuclear weapon-free world can and must be achieved.” He continued, “The dangers of nuclear war didn’t disappear with the end of the Cold War. The United States and Russia have engaged in potentially catastrophic nuclear weapons drills during the continuing Ukraine crisis. ‘All options’ remain on the table threatening stability with Iran. In addition, the U.S. has flown simulated nuclear attacks against North Korea. Scientists now tell us that an exchange of between 50 and 100 of the world’s more than 16,000 nuclear weapons would result in a global famine leading to an estimated two billion deaths.”